• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.204-209
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• 2007

Agricultural area in the vicinity of the ${\triangle}{\triangle}$ smelting factory in Kyeongbuk province, the third largest zinc smelting factory in the world, was contaminated by high concentration of heavy metals. However, the heavy metals source was not yet directly traced and thus, resulted to a conflict between the factory and residents within its vicinity. In order to determine the level of heavy metal contamination in the arable lands located at the north eastern part of the factory, soils were sampled systematically. To find out the major reason for the occurrence of this problem, waters and aerosols were sampled with constant intervals to the upward and downward direction from the factory and were analyzed to find out the heavy metal concentrations. Cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) of the heavy metals were highly accumulated more than the Korean warning criteria (Cd 1.5, Zn 300 mg $kg^{-1}$) with mean values 1.7 and 407 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively, at the surface soils (0-20 cm), and heavy metal concentration significantly decreased with increasing soil depth In addition, the concentration of both metals slightly decreased with increasing distance from the factory to the surface soils. Cadmium and Zn were detected in the upward stream water with low concentration and concentrations increased significantly in the downstream after passing across the factory. Aerosol samples also showed traces of Cd and Zn which could be attributed to the contamination of the water system and the surface soils. Conclusively, Cd and Zn emitted from the ${\triangle}{\triangle}$ smelting factory moved with the aerosol in the atmosphere and thus, contaminated the agricultural areas and the water system within it vicinity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2007

The cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) contamination of soils and cultivated crop plants by zinc smelting activities was studied. In the study area of the vicinity of ${\triangle}{\triangle}$ zinc smelting factory in Korea, soils and corn plants were sampled at corn harvesting stage and analyzed Cd and Zn concentration as well as Cd and Zn fraction and chemical properties in soils. At 600 m radius of studied area, Cd and Zn were highly accumulated in the surface soils (0 - 20 cm) showed greater than the Korean warning criteria (Cd 1.5, Zn 300 mg $kg^{-1}$) with corresponding values 1.7 and 407 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively. The leaf part gave higher Cd concentration with the corresponding value of 9.5 mg $kg^{-1}$ as compared to the stem and grains pare (1.6 and 0.18 mg $kg^{-1}$), respectively. Higher Zn concentration was also obtained from the leaf part of the corn plant which gave the value of 1,733 mg $kg^{-1}$. The stem and grain part gave corresponding values of 547 and 61 mg $kg^{-1}$. The order of the mean Cd concentration in fractions is F3 (oxidizable fraction) > F2 (reducible fraction) > F4 (residual fraction) > F1 (exchangeable + acidic fraction). A highly positive correlation is observed between F2 and concentration of Cd and Zn in both plant pare, leaf and grain. Highly positive correlations are shown in the pH exchangeable Ca and Mg, and CEC when correlated with Cd and Zn bound to F4 fractions. To reduce Cd and Zn uptake by corn plant in an arable land heavily contaminated with Cd and Zn as affected by smelting factory, an efficient and effective soil management to increase soil pH and CEC is thus recommended.